ERC CEO pledges to fix problems with tunnel tolling

The man who oversees the tolls on the Elizabeth River tunnels is promising to Take Action for NewsChannel 3 viewers.

Elizabeth River Crossings has a $2 billion deal that allows it to make an average annual profit of 13.5 percent.

But so far, the company hasn’t been able to keep track of the 75 cents (or $1.50 or $2.50) that we’re supposed to pay when we go through the Downtown and Midtown Tunnels.

Almost from the day the tolls went into effect at the Downtown and Midtown Tunnels, drivers reported problems.

Some NewsChannel 3 viewers told us they got a bill for the higher pay-by-plate amount when they had an active E-ZPass.

Elizabeth River Crossings, the company that oversees the tunnels and tolls, admitted there were problems with the technology. But now, it’s gotten so bad the company CEO has gone public, pledging to fix the mess.

In a letter released Wednesday, Greg Woodsmall acknowledges that some transactions have been “recorded inaccurately, or in a few cases, not at all.”

He says “I am personally working diligently with our tolling contractor to correct and minimize these errors.”

His plan includes:

Daily briefings from the Tolling Operations Manager at 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Adding staff to correct billing errors

And traveling to Texas to meet face-to-face with the software provider to press for solutions.

Woodsmall goes on to make a personal promise “that motorists will not pay for incorrect or duplicate charges to E-ZPass accounts.”

The letter from the ERC boss comes a week after Governor McAuliffe came to Virginia Beach and called the company out.

NewsChannel 3 will continue to Take Action for our views. Let us know if you continue to have problems with your E-ZPass billing.